HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – An excavator being hauled by a semi-tractor trailer struck an overpass on Florida’s Turnpike in Hollywood on Monday, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed.
The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the highway near Sheridan Street.
According to FHP Lt. Indiana Miranda, the excavator struck the Sheridan Street overpass, causing debris to fall onto another vehicle.
The passenger from that vehicle was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Workers are assessing the damage. As of now, she expects the overpass to be shut down for at least overnight to figure out just how bad the damage is.
A county engineer is inspecting the damage and told Local 10 News that a portion of the Sheridan overpass over the turnpike will be shutdown to reduce the load and the vibration on that area.
For now, one eastbound lane on the Sheridan Street Turnpike Overpass is closed to traffic due to the truck hitting the underside of the overpass, which caused “significant damage to the structure,” according to the city of Hollywood.
One eastbound lane remains open and the westbound lanes are not affected.
Broward County and the Florida Department of Transportation are working together to evaluate and repair the damage.
The county is helping to reduce traffic congestion in that area by synchronizing the traffic lights to maximize the flow of traffic. Drivers are encouraged to seek an alternate route until repairs are completed.
We asked the engineer if the damage is as bad as it appears, and how long will the overpass be shut down. He said that repairs could take from a week to a month.